The Darkest of Knights
by VengefulElfe
Summary: The Darkest of Knights follows Batman and the Batfam. With upcoming problems, such as a case that hits close to home for Nightwing, a single shot that paralyzes Batgirl and Batman has to manage both parts of his life while dealing with the press of the newest member of the Wayne family Damian, and to top it all off Jason is out for revenge.
1. 1

[KEY: "Talking" *Comms* (thoughts)]

*Robin to team, I think I got something over here. I'm going in.*

*Robin wait for backup. Batgirl and I are on our way.*

Nightwing grapples to the adjacent building and sees Robin already in a fight on the ground. Batgirl swings up next to him and jumps down to help out. Nightwing doesn't leave the rooftop though. He scans the docks, wondering why there are so many people here and what they are defending. He chuckles internally as he sees boxes marked for the circus. The Haly international traveling circus. The very circus he grew up in as a flying Grayson. He swings down behind a crate and waits for an opportunity to strike. He hops over the crate and attacks, catching a hired hand off guard. His sneak attack is unnoticed by the cheep hired guards who are too busy fighting the other two vigilantes.

*Batgirl to Wingnut. When you're done pouting we could use the backup.*

He grapples a guard to him and knocks it unconscious. He joins the fight with Robin and Batgirl and soon all of the guards are either unconscious or groaning in pain. Batgirl kicks one who's groaning as she walks over to Nightwing. "Don't worry the stinging goes away when you go unconscious."

He chuckles at her joke as she taunts the thug as he pulls the lid off the crates marked for the circus. Robin walks up twirling his bo staff. "What is it?"

"Haly's. The international circus comes to Gotham once every few years. Only this isn't their stuff."

Nightwing pulls a high powered dendrotoxin pistol out of the crate. "It's much bigger than a trapeze act."

"We should get it to Batman. He'll be able to trace it. Maybe it's the work of Joker, with the circus theme that he loves so much." Batgirl suggests that they take the weapons to Batman. Lately she and Bruce have been acting weird. Batman is having a hard time focusing on missions and Nightwing is pretty sure it's because of his budding relationship with Barbara. Nightwing has let a few comments slide when working with Bruce in the cave, all of which have been answered by a glare or the occasional grunt. "Uh hello? Earth to Nightwing?"

He snaps out of his daydream of his days in the circus. His parents and the days he could fly through the air. "Right. I'm certain that Batman would expect us to handle this on our own but if you would like to contact him, be my guest. I'm going to visit the circus."

Nightwing grapples up to the rooftops and takes off into the night. "God I hate it when he does that."

"So we're not involving Batman?" Robin asks as he scratches his head. Batgirl remotely calls her motorcycle and waits for Robin to get on. "We're going back to the cave."


	2. 2

When the two arrive she parks next to the batmobile and hears Bruce up a few levels working out. As soon as he hears them of course he stops and waits for a report by the computer. "Do I need to suit up for this?"

Batgirl pulls her cowl off as she answers with a 'no'. "Dick may have a lead. Something to do with a traveling circus. He's checking into now and if there's a fragment there, well we'll know."

Robin changes out of his suit and heads upstairs to go play video games leaving Bruce and Barbara alone in the cave. Part of Barbara wishes that Robin would've stayed and some small part of her is glad he's gone. Lately she's been feeling different around Bruce. She can't seem to think straight with him on missions anymore, which he's noticed so he's got her on a strict workout schedule. That would be great for her if he wasn't her instructor. She can't think about fighting when Gotham's most eligible bachelor is wearing athletic pants and glistening with sweat. "Barb you still here?"

She quickly snaps out of the very inappropriate vision in her head. "Yeah, I should get home before it's too late. Tell Nightwing to contact me if he finds something."

She never even noticed that he moved to the chair at the computer but he's hacking through Gotham cameras trying to find the circus and Nightwing. "The mats are already out if you'd like to go a few rounds."

She sucks in a breath of air as he offers to train with her. She knows she needs the training and she's willing to workout but doing it with a shirtless and ripped Batman probably isn't her best bet. "I really should get home." She tries to use her home and her dad as an excuse for the real reason why she's turning down his offer but he argues back. Insisting that she needs the training.

"You've been out of the game for a few months and skills have shown a lack of effort and control."

His comment pisses her off, and nowadays most of what he says does. She views it as his way of avoiding any awkward situations. She took a few months off of Batgirling when she started college at Gotham University and he's right that maybe she's not as good as she used to be but her effort, it's still all there. Every night, every time she puts on her suit. "Effort? You think I'm not trying hard enough?"

Bruce gets up out of the chair and walks over to the mats as he tries to explain what he means. "Barbara you have potential, but you can't focus. You aren't giving it your all. You can't seem to calm yourself enough to get the job done and some time it's going to get someone killed."

She starts breathing heavily as she approaches the mats and her target, him. She channels her anger towards him as she attacks. She can tell he's holding back but she's managing to stay on the offensive, not having to play defense the whole time. Finally she's so mad she's not fighting the way he's trained her, she's just trying to punch him as she tries not to break down and cry. He doesn't block her, he just lets her fists contact his torso as she breaks down. "You think I DON'T care?! I have busted my ass to do what I DO and you don't care. You just treat me as a kid. You always made time for Dick or Tim but no. Not me, you AVOIDED me!"

His hands clench up into fists and then relax again as he tries to remain calm. He's not worried about hurting her, that's not his concern. He's worried he might actually show the amount of want and lust he has built up for her. He finally blocks her punch and grabs her hand, stopping her.

"You're exhausted, go home. Get some rest."

He turns his back on her as he walks away willing himself to stay calm and not react. She doesn't say a word as she disappears out of the cave. He paces the cave by the computer as he waits for the blood to disperse from a not so vital organ. She's everything he wants and everything he can't have and it's tearing him apart. He grabs his shirt and drapes it around his neck as he exits the cave and heads to the kitchen. Alfred is sitting in an air chair reading the paper as Tim plays video games on the tv.

"Can I interest you in some coffee or tea master Bruce?"

"No thanks Alfred, I'm afraid I'm going to need something a little stronger than tea."

Alfred chuckles as Bruce grabs a beer and walks off to his study.


	3. 3

Barbara goes in through her bedroom window and changes out of her costume. Normally she leaves her gear at the cave but it was pretty clear he didn't want her around any longer. She changes into yoga pants and a t-shirt before curling up on her bed. She lays on her back, looking up at the ceiling as she has a mental debate with herself.

{What did I ever do to him. It's like he wants to bully me out of this. He's too good for anyone else. Yeah, too good. God I can't even be in the same room as the guy. What's wrong with me? Snap out of it Barb, you're better than this. Don't be a Batman groupie like every other college student.}

She sighs as she wipes the tears away. She finally lays down, shuts her bedside light off and drifts off to sleep.


	4. 4

Nightwing arrives at the cave later with the pistol he had earlier and a few extra cuts. He slams the gun on the metal table next to the computer that's usually for medical purposes and hacks into the computer. He yawns and lays back in the chair and stretches trying to stay awake. This case is his, it's personal and the Light most likely knows it. He doesn't want a team for it and he doesn't need his team back in Happy Harbor to know. He feels the right side of his suit getting wet and wetter from the blood seeping through from a knife cut. Finally he manages to hack into Batman's system and into the Gotham PD files. The circus doesn't stop at Gotham often, every time it does a police report is filed against it for something. First the murder of the Flying Grayson's act and then there was a gem thief, of course the circus didn't do it but they were framed. Dick's so caught up in his work that he doesn't even hear Alfred walk down. "Oh Master Dick, didn't know you were home. Can I interest you in anything."

"No but could you send Tim down here. I totally forgot about the training we had planned for today."

Alfred disappears in the elevator and Dick pulls on his mask, prints the files and closes down the computer. He grabs the pistol and slides down the pole to the batmobile. He looks around for the keys and then realizes that Bruce probably keeps them with him. He sighs and pulls out the wires under the dashboard. He hotwires the car and floors it out of the cave.


	5. 5

By the time Tim gets downstairs Dick is gone and so is the Batmobile. Tim debates saying something but he kind of wants to see this play out. Tim runs into Bruce on his way back up. "Shouldn't you be in bed, you have school."

"Yeah I was just- where are you going?"

Bruce gives him a look, wondering what's wrong with him. "Cave why?"

"No reason." Tim slides past him and goes up to his room. Bruce shrugs it off and goes down to the cave. Bruce uses a dummy to take out his pent up frustration. After his training with Barbara he can't stop thinking about her and it's going to get him killed. He beats on the dummy until his fists are bruised and bloody. He sighs as he walks away from the mats and grabs a water bottle. "Taking the night off Master Bruce?"

Alfred isn't just a butler for Bruce, he's like his only living parent figure and a good friend. "Slow night. Nothing coming through on the computer."

"The police are flying the batwave. They need you."

Bruce sets his water down and turns on his computer, wondering why he never got an alert. "I never got the call."

Alfred chuckles, "no but I bet Master Dick did. He was here not too long ago."

Bruce shuts down the computer and suits up. He pulls his cowl up with a look on his face that shows Dick isn't going to be pleased for his backup. He slides down to his car and then realizes that it's gone. On the floor where his car should be is a piece of paper with 'sorry' written on it. Bruce manually calls the car back to him, almost hoping that Dick is still in it so he can tell him to sit this out. The cars empty when it speeds down to him. Bruce hops in and speeds down towards the police station. He parks away where he normally does and meets the Commissioner on the rooftop. "You rang?"

The commissioner hands him a file, it's on the circus, the same case Dick is looking into. "The Riddler has been seen there and so has Joker. This circus is harboring something, something big."

"I thought the Joker was in Arkham lock up." Batman makes a mental note to look into the Arkham Asylum later and to check on the Joker. "There was a power outage a few weeks back, the guards claim to have the Asylum under control but some people have reported seeing a figure that could be the Joker. We haven't taken it seriously, because our source reports Joker is still secure in Arkham. It's just some lowlife thugs who think that if they turn in Joker they'll get off the hook. Anyways, the Riddler has been spotted and that damned circus is still here."

"I'll look into it."

The commissioner nods as Batman takes the file and swings off. Batman knows his first move isn't to swing into the circus and attack, that's a setup and whoever is working in there is waiting for him. He waits outside a warehouse, up on the roof, ready to drop down on the first unexpecting guard who walks out. This warehouse is commonly used by the Riddler and his goons. Batman freezes as he hears fighting inside the warehouse. He swings down to cover by the side before breaking in. He's expecting to find Dick but instead it's Barbara who's beating the last conscious goon into a pulp. Batman needs him awake or else he's useless and the cops will be here soon to pick them up. Batman finally steps in, having to pull Barbara away from her target. Bruce then realizes that it's not just a goon that she was beating on. It's Franz Ressck, a big time hired hitman. Franz spits out blood and chuckles between gasps for air. "Must be that time of the month."

Barbara tries to hit him for the comment but Bruce holds her back. He walks up to Franz, grabbing the neck of his shirt and pulling him up. "Now let me tell you how this will work. You have ten seconds to tell me where Riddler is. One, nine-"

Batman is cut off by a laughter that could only belong to Riddler. He then has to drop Franz to tackle Barbara. He jumps on her, the knife that was aimed for her heart soars over them. He mutters 'focus' before getting up. He notices how Franz is gone but he also hears the sirens of police.

"I am flora not fauna. I am foliage not trees. Ooh ooh this one. I am shrubbery not grass. What am I? I-"

Batman stays silent not participating in the game Riddler is playing. He does know the answer, and he does know that they're screwed. The first batch of Riddler's henchmen attack. Batman backs up while fighting so he's back to back with Batgirl. "We need to get out."

Riddler is still spouting off clues, disappointed in Batman's effort. "Oh come on. The other bat baby got it."

Barbara hears Batman let out an angered sigh. "They have Nightwing."

Batman throws a batarang at Riddler.

"Shall we play a game?" The Riddler gets excited as Batman turns his attention to him.

"You tell me where Nightwing is and I don't kill you."

The Riddler just laughs, "you aren't going to kill me, you and me Batman. We're connected. You need me."

"And if you don't tell me where he is, I'll make you beg for killing."

"Ooh ohh riddle this, of the king I am blue. Of the peasant I am red, of the frog I am cold. Of the dog I am warm. What is the fate of your dear wing nut if you don't cooperate."

Batgirl backs up by Batman, "you have a plan right?"

"Yeah, do as the man says."

Batman puts his batarang back and shouts the answer back to Riddler. "I am blood."

Batman is playing at his own angle too, but his game has the risk of Dick being killed.

"Riddler release Nightwing and no one gets hurt."

The Riddler laughs at him and a flash of panic hits Batman because he lost him. He can't find Riddler but he can hear his laughter. Suddenly he feels a dagger make itself at home in his abdomen. Nothing matters to him anymore when he hears Barbara scream out. He grimaces as he pulls the dagger out of his abs and throws it at the wires holding up the light that Riddler is standing on. Two of the four supports snap and Riddler falls to ground. Normally this is where Batman would capture and torture him until he gives up Nightwing's location but Bruce wants to go run over to Barbara, so that's what he does.

"I'm fine,"

She pushes herself up and brushes herself off. Batman tries to act nonchalant and not bothered by her but her uniform accents her best qualities perfectly.

"Where's Riddler?"

"He got away. We should go before he comes back."

As soon as he says that bars come up and meet the metal cage top coming down from the ceiling. Barbara tries to pull on the bars but they don't move. "Or not."

Batman tries to use his tools to get out but he can't escape and neither can Batgirl. "We're trapped."

Then he hears the signature laugh of his very first Robin, Dick Grayson. Nightwing and Robin land on a platform above Riddler.

"Hey Riddler, riddle me this. A nightmare for some. For others, a savior I come. My hands cold and bleak. The warm hearts they seek. Guess your fate. You are-"

The Riddler doesn't find it as funny when he realizes the answer is dead. The Riddler backs up as Nightwing approaches, escrimas in hand and ready for a fight. Tim sneaks over to the cage Batman and Batgirl are stuck in and uses his bo stick to cut the top open. Batman pulls himself out then offers a hand to Batgirl. She finds the gesture insulting, he wouldn't offer help to Nightwing. He assumes that she's too weak to pull herself out. She pushes his hand out of the way and pulls herself up and jumps into the fight with Nightwing. Batman calls a tactical retreat as he hears sirens as the police pull up into the warehouse.

*Batman to team, time to go, we got what we came here for.*

Robin and Nightwing grapple to the building on the left of the warehouse and head back to the cave. Batgirl stays back in the shadows, not wanting to push her luck with her secret identity and her father. Batman meets with the commissioner about the case and the Riddler. He's busy in a conversation when Barbara spots something flashing in the corner of the warehouse. She sneaks over to it and finds out it's a bomb. She goes to yell to Batman when it explodes. He doesn't have time to process what's happening but as soon as he sees Barbara motionless on the ground his heart stops. He picks himself off the dusty floor and makes his way over to her as the cops reset and start to investigate. The commissioner walks up behind Batman and asks if she's ok not realizing that it's his daughter. Batman kneels next to her, lifting her head and resting it in his lap. He doesn't pull off her mask but he feels for a pulse. The commissioner calls for a bus as another cop yells out that he's discovered another bomb. The commissioner pulls a gun on Batman. "Put your hands where I can see them and remove the mask."

"I'm not going to hurt you commissioner."

The commissioner releases the safety and shouts at him again. "Hands where I can see them or I will shoot."

Batman uses his belt to call the batmobile. The shock of the batmobile blowing through the metal wall knocks the commissioner off balance long enough for Batman to grab Batgirl and make it to the car. He hears bullets hit the car as he drives off to the cave. The whole ride back he's just praying 'please don't take her, please don't take her.' His park job shows how urgent he is to get Barbara help. Dick and Tim are lounging around the computer waiting for the others to return but they have no idea what happened. "She needs medical."

They both stare at him as he hauls her up to the metal table they use for medical purposes. "Go get help."

They snap out of their shock and run to go get Alfred.


	6. 6

Three hours later and the sun is up and it's seven thirteen in the morning and she's still not moving. Dick took off to drop Tim at school and then he said he had personal errands to attend to. Bruce has been pacing the cave for the past three hours, waiting for her to wake.

"Master Bruce may I recommend that you get some rest. I will watch over Miss Gordon and alert you if there is any changes."

"No Alfred I'm fine thanks."

He's not fine, his side is killing him from the knife wound and his head is pounding and he feels that if he closes his eyes they may never reopen. Alfred chuckles as Bruce refuses to leave Barbara's side.

"Master Bruce you need to rest up and allow that wound to heal. Miss Gordon will be fine. I will watch over her."

Bruce has to admit that a nice nap does sound appealing. "Fine, just a few hours. Wake me if anything changes."

He walks up to his private room and lays back on his bed and as soon as his head hits the pillow he's out.


	7. 7

Dick dropped Tim off at Gotham Academy and then caught a zeta tube to the cave in Happy Harbor. Most of the team is still there except Aqualad. M'gann is arguing with Conner and Impulse is training with Blue Beetle. KF and Artemis have moved out to the West Coast where they are going to college. Dick started college this year too but he decided to stay local at Gotham University. He pulls up the holocomputer and starts working on locating the fragment piece that Tula said was in Gotham. The team gathers around as he projects a map of the other pieces needed for the plan to work. Then the zeta tubes announce Zatanna's and Rocket's arrive.

"Did you two miss the stop for the Watchtower?" Bumblebee jokes.

"We're here on a mission actually." Rocket announces. Zatanna and Rocket are now full members of the league so whatever mission they're on is a league mission.

"Then why come to us?" Conner asks, slightly angry that they came to them for help when they weren't given the same treatment by the league. Zatanna walks over to Nightwing by the computer who's been silently working through all of this.

"Happy Birthday Boy Wonder." She says then kisses him. The team noticed and stopped fighting to watch the display. M'gann tries to cover Gar's eyes as the two older members of the team make out.

"Say it backwards." He says when she breaks the kiss. She just smiles at her ex-boyfriend that maybe shouldn't be an ex.

"Dinner tonight?" He nods as he continues his research. "Yeah you should go, before you know."

"Yeah. See you tonight Wonder Boy."

She and Rocket leave for the Watchtower and Nightwing moves on with the mission as if nothing just happened. The others were all watching and seeing the leader that they considered just dedicated to the team make out with someone like Zatanna isn't just something that they move on from. "Alright Alpha squad you will be heading to Taipei. This is a stealth mission and there will be a leaguer there to help you through. There's a safe house for you to stay in the night you arrive and then the next day you're mission is to get the prime minister of Belgium out. He arrived in Taipei a little over fifty six hours ago and he has since gone missing. You're job is to find him and safely get him home. Alpha squad will be Wonder girl, impulse, blue beetle and M'gann."

He feels his phone vibrate in his pocket. "I won't be able to run point for you here. You'll be on your own but you can handle it. Nightwing out."

He catches a zeta tube back to Gotham city and sees the Bat signal flying high. He grapples up to the rooftops and meets the commissioner on the roof. "I thought we only did night meetings."

It's almost four in the afternoon and Nightwing doesn't like being so exposed without any decent cover.

"We have information that the damned traveling circus is into some criminal activity."

"What kind of criminal activity are we talking about?"

"Last night one of my detectives didn't show up for work-"

"So maybe he's sick. There's plenty of reasons why he wouldn't show. That doesn't make the circus criminal."

"Today we found this in our vending machine."

He hands Nightwing a file and the picture inside is a bloody hand stuffed up a vending machine with a note. The notecard is blank except for the logo of Haly's international traveling circus.

"I'll look into it. Keep your men away from it and there's a chance that your detective still may be alive. They used this to lure you into a trap."

"Just bring that son of bitch who runs that shit show down."

Nightwing disappears and heads back to the cave. He comes in one of the many back passages, scaring Alfred. "Master Dick you're back."

"Where's Bruce?"

"Getting some well deserved and much needed sleep."

"How's Babs? Any change?"

He sees that the metal table where she was laying is now empty.

"Miss Gordon woke up a few hours ago, she is currently sleeping off an agonizing headache in the study."

Dick nods and sits down at the computer and starts pulling up files about the circus. When he finds what he's looking for he copies the files onto a flash drive and leaves the cave. He takes his bike and drives off to the grounds where the circus is staying. He approaches slowly, escrimas in hand and expecting a fight. Instead he hears a muffled scream coming from inside. He pulls the curtain away and walks in and sees Jack Haly, the circus ringmaster tied down with Franz Ressck standing over him holding a blade. "Why don't you pick on someone a bit more your skill level?"

Dick throws a batarang and knocks the knife out of his hand. Franz has another one, and another one. Soon Dick is flipping around the ring dodging flying knives and feeling like he's still part of the circus. "Give it up Ressck. You can't win so stop trying."

"Rumor has it that your parents were murdered in this exact spot."

The lights flicker on and Dick notices the tape on the ground. The same type of tape that police lay after taking away dead bodies. He's standing exactly where his father landed. He still remembers that night, it haunts him in his sleep and he remembers their screams so clearly. He quickly snaps out of it, acting like he has no idea what Franz Ressck is talking about because if he acknowledges it then he can give away his identity. "I guess that's why rumors are so useless. I always preferred the fair, better food."

Franz Ressck laughs and attacks. The two duel around the ring like a cage fighting match. There's no skill involved in this type of fighting, just the hate and revenge fueling the punches thrown. "I came here to Gotham hoping for some excitement but all I can seem to find is a bunch of washed up bat bitches. How's your girlfriend doing? I heard she went boom. Maybe it'll get the attention of the big bat. A real competitor."

Nightwing is tiring and slowing down but that doesn't make him happy when the police arrive. Ressck is taken into police custody and the commissioner thanks Nightwing for bring down the circus.

"The circus is clean, he was attacked. Franz Ressck is a trained killer and a high dollar merc. There's someone who doesn't like this circus and someone who is sabotaging them."

"Maybe but we got an anonymous tip that gave us enough hard evidence to shut this shit show down once and for all."

"Glad you could make a collar." The commissioner knows that there is sarcasm in that statement and it makes him wonder Nightwing's real identity and connection to it. Nightwing grapples away and heads back to the cave. He arrives and grabs a water before sitting down at the computer to keep digging. Now he has to make a convincing argument against the police that the circus is clean. Yeah sure, there is a missing detective and a hired merc but that doesn't mean it's the circus. Haly wouldn't, he couldn't do something like that. Dick knows that but Nightwing has to prove it. Bruce walks into the cave carrying a beer. "How long was I out? I feel like I haven't slept in years."

"That is because you haven't master Bruce."

Dick's phone rings in his pocket and he realizes that he completely forgot about his birthday dinner with Zatanna. "Hey no I didn't forget, it's just really busy traffic in Gotham. I'll be there soon."

He closes down all of his files and rushes out. He's grabbed by Bruce, who pulls him back.

"Where you going?"

"Dinner. For my birthday is that alright that I celebrate it once a year?"

He pulls away from the man he once considered his father and storms off. Bruce sighs as he realizes that he completely forgot Dick's birthday. He's been so caught up in work and now with Barbara,

"Hi ya. Just ran into the legally allowed to drink Robin on his way out to a date. Ah they grow up so fast. It seems like just yesterday I was showing him the ropes and now."

Bruce allows himself to smile, but only at Barbara's smart ass sense of humor, and not at the fact that she's standing next to him.

"Good to see you still up and fighting. I think you should take a break."

Her facial expression changes and so does her attitude. "Yeah, so you've mentioned."

"I'm not trying to start a fight Barbara. You're powerful and talented but even you have limits and you need time to restore and restart."

"Look I may not be as good as you or Dick but I can manage myself. I have proven over and over that I have what it takes."

"No! It's not up for discussion. You could've killed Ressck had I not stepped in and you're not focusing. Like the bomb. What the hell were you thinking?!"

"I was going to disarm it so no one got hurt."

"Don't you think I knew they were there. I said stay back and follow my lead! If you can't manage to follow simple rules then get out!"

She of course refuses to just walk out and let him win this fight. "No."

He was already walking away, assuming that she would leave and he never expected her to challenge him. "What?"

"You heard me, no. I'm not quitting and you're not going to scare me out of it. If you don't like what I'm doing then teach me your way. Or better yet, if I beat you in a fight, fighting my way then you back off and let me do my job."

"You want to fight?" His tone of voice hints at the fact that he finds this humorous. "You want to fight me? You know I believe I already did this with Dick and he got his ass handed to him."

She cracks her knuckles. "Well see that's why it's better to be original."

He sighs but meets her over at the mats. She quickly changes into athletic clothes that she leaves at the cave for training and he throws on track pants and pulls his shirt off. "It's not too late to back out."

"Scared?" She taunts as she attacks, throwing him into a defensive mode. She's quick but like he keeps telling her, she's sloppy and unfocused. He strikes out and contacts her ribs and pushes her back. He's holding back, not wanting to hurt her but wanting to prove to her that a trained fighting style is better, more efficient, and safer. She gets angry as he tries not to attack her. She knows how he fights and he's holding back against her and it pisses her off. "You're holding back!"

"Of course I am, I could kill you if I didn't."

She punches him in the gut and her foot makes contact with his chin as she completes a roundhouse kick. "Hit me!" She punches him again. "Fight me back!"

He finally does, grabbing her foot as she goes in for a kick and knees her in the ribs six times before throwing her back like a piece of paper. It makes her smile as he fights back. She attacks, but has to stay on the defensive as he strikes. His attacks are hard to read, they're fast and hard and he has very few tells. He's light on his feet and quick to dodge, always forcing her to play his way. He goes in for a punch but she grabs his arm and twists it, her leg making contact with his face before he elbows her in the side and pulls her back by her hair. She yelps as she tries to escape his choke hold that's closing in. She starts to black out but then remembers the lessons her dad taught her at a young age. She bites into his arm until she feels his grip release and then crushes down on his foot and driving her elbow up into his throat. Just when she thinks she's getting the upper hand he sweeps her feet out from under her and she hits the mat with an 'oof.' He has her pinned down on the mat, panting as he catches his breath. She doesn't know what overtakes her but she leans up and kisses him. He kisses her back, sliding an arm under her back to hold her up. His other hand roams through her hair. She breaks the kiss to come up for air and remove her shirt. Their kisses are rough and needy. He roughly grabs her breast through her sports bra and she moans into the kiss. He's rough with her but it's just how she's imagined and dreamt of. She scratches lines down his back as she tries to grind up against him. She feels how much he wants it too. They're so involved in fulfilling their wants and needs that neither one hears the door to the cave open. Robin wanders down the stairs yelling for Bruce.

"Hey there's some cops here like the commish and everything."

Bruce quickly shifts to cover up Barbara who's now wearing just her panties as Tim walks in. "Oh hey there are po pos upstairs. They like kinda don't like you."

"I'll be right up, just go stall them,"

He's quick to try to get Tim to leave, like he's shoving him out of the cave. Tim is skeptical but just rolls his eyes and walks off. Bruce lets out a breath of air and gets up, offering a hand to Barbara. She redresses and so does he, the silence killing her. "This won't happen again."

That's all he says and then she hears the door close and she's alone in the cave. Her emotions are going crazy, and she's not sure what emotion she's feeling but there's definitely some pent up anger. She beats on one of the dummies for hours, only stopping her workout for water breaks and to wipe away her tears for when she cries too hard.


	8. 8

Dick walks in late to his own birthday dinner date with Zatanna who looks flawless in a dazzling royal blue short dress. He sits down across from her, apologizing for being late and complimenting her dress. "So what's really up with you? What were you working on?"

"Nothing, it's just another case another day."

"Another case of bullshit, I think I'm remembering why this didn't work."

"Zee," He reaches for her hand and looks her in the eyes. "Zee it's just a case, no secrets no lies. Just you and me tonight, just like it used to be." After a long romantic dinner they go back to Zatanna's apartment. As soon as he closes the door he's on her, pinning her against the wall and grinding up against her. It's just like they used to be, rough and fast, nothing more than want and need. In less than an hour they're laying in her bed almost asleep when Dick's phone rings. She sighs as she sits up as he gets redressed. "Duty calls?"

He kisses her goodbye, "I had a great time tonight. Love you Zee."

He disappears and heads back to the batcave. He's hoping that Bruce is out on a mission or something because he doesn't want help on his circus case, it's too personal and well personal and Batman don't mix. Barbara is training when he walks up to the computer. She grabs a sweat towel and wipes her face off and walks over by him. "What doing?"

"Working, aren't you supposed to be home?"

"Dad thinks I'm at a library conference in Central City for the week. It was Bruce's idea because of the bruises and cuts from the bombs. It's just easier to stay here,"

Dick rolls his eyes as he sits downs at the computer. She stands behind him watching him hack through the many firewalls that Bruce has step up. She's a bit in awe at how fast he bypasses the security, like she could too but it would talked here more time and she good on computers. "What are you doing?"

He mutters something under his breath but she understands that he doesn't want her to know what he's doing so she walks off up to the house. Tim is of course gaming on the couch and Alfred is trying to convince him to get up and read.

"Hey Alfred where's Bruce?"

"Last I saw of Master Bruce he was in his study working on a case from a very concerned father and commissioner."

Barbara slaps the controller out of Tim's hands as she walks by. He complains as he loses his level and blames her. She knocks before opening the door to the study a crack, "hey, I was just wondering how the case is going. I know I got you in trouble with my dad after the bomb went off and I thought I should apologize."

"It's fine." That's all Bruce says to her and expects her to leave him alone. He doesn't know how to act now that he let her get him like that in training. She knows how much he wants her now and he knows that he can't act on those feelings.

"Bruce please don't shut me out. Look I know that you want to forget what happened but I can't. Please."

"It's late you should get some rest, you're still recovering from the bomb. We can talk about it later. Goodnight Barbara."

She closes the door and sighs, sliding down to a sitting position and leaning against it. If she were any other girl at a party Bruce Wayne wouldn't turn her away but it's because she's Batgirl and Batman's sidekick that he's treating her this way and it bothers her so much. She pushes herself up and wanders down to the batcave. Dick is still at the computer but he's intercepted some kind of communications and he's listening in. She doesn't bother him, she just grabs her bike and heads out for a night out. She's not in her uniform, she's just going home for a while and then she'll come back to the mansion. Her dad is spending his night at the station, she knows because she's tracking his location. She lets herself in her house and for the first time she debates with letting herself into her dad's alcohol cupboard. He's never had any reason to lock it up because she's always been trustworthy but she does it. She pours herself a glass of vodka, just straight vodka and downs it. Wincing as it burns her throat on the way down she takes another drink. She lays down on the couch, watching tv while taking swigs of the vodka straight from the bottle. She hears someone knock on the door and she gets up to open the door. She doesn't even have time to scream, everything is so fast and yet frozen in time as the Joker shoots her.


	9. 9

Nightwing grapples to the main tent and waits, after he hacked the communications he found out that a heroin dealer is working out of the tent at nights. He waits for the truck to arrive before attaching a batarang to the back of it. Now he can track where their main business is. He's just about to move when he gets a comm call from Robin.

"I'm busy so this better be good."

"Barbara is in the hospital."

"Where? What happened I'm on my way."

He shuts off his tracking program and heads off to his place in Bludhaven and changes quickly before heading to the Gotham hospital. Bruce is already there and so is Tim and Alfred. Bruce is arguing with the Commissioner when Dick arrives. Tim looks like he's been crying and Alfred looks exhausted. "What happened?"

"Miss Gordon was shot in the stomach by the Joker. She's been paralyzed from the waist down."

Dick stands silently by Alfred and waits for Bruce to walk over. "You didn't need to come."

"You didn't need to pick a fight with the commish."

"Coming from the guy who is trying to take down a drug ring by yourself after attacking a hired merc. I don't think I'm the one with anger problems."

Dick just glares at him, "did you ever think that maybe this is your fault? Joker targeted her for a reason. Stop blaming everyone else and take responsibility for your own damn self."

Dick storms out, and Bruce realizes that Dick is right. The Joker hit Barbara for a reason so why? Bruce approaches her room, it's the first time he's been to a hospital in years and he never imagined her being the reason why. The police guarding her room don't want to let him in, Commissioner's orders. He pays off the police officer, a new guy with a son on the way with his girlfriend and sneaks into Barbara's room. She's still sleeping but he doesn't want to leave her side. He sits down in the chair in the dark room and grabs her hand gently, holding it. Rubbing it and afraid to let go of it. (Bruce don't worry, I'll be fine. Just like you always wanted, for me to leave your life forever. I hope you're happy Bruce.)

He wakes from his dream, panting like he's been running. He lets go of Barbara's hand and gets up from the chair and stretches. He yawns and goes to pull open the door when he hears her whisper his name. He's almost sure it's another dream but then he hears it again. "Bruce don't leave."

He walks over to the edge of the hospital bed and sits down next to her again. "I can't be here Barbara. I just wanted to make sure you were safe. Barb what happened?"

She's dazing in and out of consciousness, no doubt on a lot of pain medicine. "Bruce I love you."

He smiles inwardly, knowing that she's drugged and she's not thinking clearly. "Kiss me."

"Barb-"

"You know you want to."

He doesn't admit it but he does. He has fallen in love with the Commissioner's daughter and his first teammate Batgirl. He lets her hands sloppily grab him and pull him down to her level and kiss him. He doesn't fight her, he doesn't try to stop her, he just kisses her back. It isn't until he hears the door open that he backs away quickly. The commissioner isn't happy to see him in his daughter's room. "Mister Wayne."

"Commissioner, I was just checking up on her,"

"Which one of my officers do I need to fire?"

Bruce smiles as the commissioner tries to make a joke, "didn't catch his name but he's got a kid on the way. Simple life, remind you of anyone. I'm having Wayne tech start working around the clock on a way to give her her legs back. If you ever need anything, anything Jim please ask."

"Thank you Bruce but I'm not the one who's going to have a hard time adjusting."

"If she's anywhere near as strong as you she'll make it through just fine."

"Doctors say that there were trace amounts of alcohol in her system. It's not like her, Barbara, she never drank, she wouldn't. The last time I heard from her she was on her way to central city and then I find out she's drunk at home and-"

The commissioner pauses and then continues.

"And they say whoever did this to her assaulted her, sexually. That's why it's my only priority to bring this son of a bitch down."

"I'm sure you'll have this case open and closed in no time. I should get back to work, Wayne tech has a new branch to open."

Bruce excuses himself and leaves, walking past Tim and Alfred who follow after him. Dick falls into step next to him, questioning him. "So? Is she going to be okay? What's going on? Why won't you tell me anything?"

"Not now!" He storms out and drives recklessly back to the mansion. He shuts himself off in the batcave, dressed in his Batman costume and searching all camera feeds for any clues. As he's researching he keeps thinking what sick son of a bitch would do this to an innocent person, unless she was attacked as Batgirl but no one knows her real identity. It then occurs to him, he needs to pay Arkham Asylum a visit.


	10. 10

Dick stops Bruce as he's leaving, blocking the exit for the Batmobile. "I will actually hit you if you don't move."

Bruce is pissed that he is even wasting time to argue with Dick. "Let me help. I can help you, look whoever attacked her is going to pay and I'm just as close with her as you are, actually I'm probably closer to her then you because I don't shut people out when things go to shit."

"You done yet?"

"Let me come with you, I can help you."

Bruce sighs and gives in, letting Dick tag along to Arkham with him. When they get there the guards don't even question them, they just let the Batman and Nightwing in. "Joker, where is he?"

"He's been in his cell since the last time you brought him here. He hasn't left here Batman,"

Batman asks for five minutes alone with Joker in his cell and the guards and Nightwing wait outside, hearing Joker get slammed around in the cell. Five minutes later Batman walks out without saying a word, but it's obvious he got the information he came for. Nightwing follows him back to the batmobile, waiting for him to start talking.

"When are you going to start talking? There's two of us here and I don't read minds."

"Good."

Nightwing sighs and gives up on trying to get his mentor to talk, he knows Bruce and he knows that he's not one for sharing. When they arrive at the Batcave Bruce heads straight to the computer. Dick sighs and gives up on trying to get Batman to let him help. "I'm going to go. If you ever decide to let me help, call."

Bruce pulls his cowl off as he continues to research through old files. He hears Dick sigh as he leaves but he never says anything. Right now his only focus is finding the real Joker and why he did this to Barbara. The Joker that they think is in Arkham is a fake, it's a decoy and for the guards the play worked, but not for the Batman. Bruce calls up his old friend Lucius Fox for new gadgets and the possibility of getting an elevator installed in the cave.

"Barbara? Honey wake up."

Barbara wakes up still in a hospital bed with her dad sitting in a bedside chair next to her. She remembers what happened but only in blurs and flashes. The pain medicine that they have her on is wearing off and she's starting to feel the real pain. "Dad my legs, dad I can't feel my legs."

She starts to panic when she can't move anything from her waist down. She can't feel anything and it scares her. Tears stream down her face when she realizes that her life is ruined and that Batman got what he wanted, her sidelined forever. Her dad grabs her arm, getting her attention, "Barb look at me, you are going to get through this, you are strong. Okay you are lucky, that lunatic could've killed you but you are still alive."

A doctor knocks on the door before opening it, "Mr. Gordon, I just have a few details that could maybe shed some light on what has happened to your daughter. If you wouldn't mind stepping out-"

"Can I walk again? Ever, will I be able to walk?" Barbara cuts off the doctor and blurts out the question she needs to know the answer to. The doctor sighs and delivers the hard truth to her, how she's going to be paralyzed for the rest of her life. As she tries to not cry her dad and the doctor set out into the hallway. "You have any idea who did this?"

"Unfortunately no, but toxicology reports that your daughter was intoxicated during the time of the attack. Most likely that's why her body handled it so well. She was .87 over the legal limit and in most cases I would report this to the police, but since you are who you are.." The doctor drifts off and Jim understands what the doctor is implying. "She will face the same consequences that any other underaged kid would face and I'm sure a little more. It's not Barbara to do such a thing, she's always been such a good kid."

"Well hopefully you'll go easy on her, she's going to have quite the time adjusting to her new life. Most likely she will never get her old life back, she will never regain her legs and a lot of patients deal with this type of injury, but everyone handles it differently."

"I'm sure. I want to thank you for everything you've done for her, she's all I have left."

"Well the meds should wear off soon and she will be in quite a bit of pain, unfortunately there's not much I can offer, things like these she has to get off of meds quickly or the body will rely on it but she is free to leave anytime now."

The commissioner thanks the doctor again and then heads back into his daughter's room. "Are you ready to go home?"

She looks so depressed and it kills him, he keeps thinking about how everything is his fault, and if he was home he could've prevented this or that this would've been him in the hospital bed. "Dad, dad it's not your fault. You couldn't have done anything. Please, don't blame yourself."

He tries not to cry as she acts so mature considering everything that has happened. "I know Barb, let's go home honey."

He helps her into the wheelchair that the hospital has donated to them for now. She winces in pain as she moves too much. She can't feel her legs but she can still feel the bullet hole. "Dad my side hurts,"

"I know Barb, I know."

The ride home is hard for both of them, for her it's physically painful. Every bump in the road is like a jab in her side and for her dad it's an emotional rollercoaster. He knows that Barbara is right, he couldn't have done anything but still he blames himself. When they arrive at home he carries her to the couch. She just sits there, it's not like she has much of a choice, she can't walk. She eventually just drifts off to sleep, the only she can do.

Dick is training in the cave while Bruce researches through files on the computer. Dick stops and walks up behind Bruce, grabbing a towel to wipe the sweat off of his face. Dick hears the elevator doors open and he's not excited to see his least favorite kid. "Damn I was hoping you'd get lost in the mountains."

"Grayson,"

Bruce shuts down the computer, locking all of his files and then heads up to his study to continue his research on a secret project of his. He honestly forgot about Damian coming back from the monastery in the Himalayas but now that he's back he knows that his life just got more complicated. Tim made the decision to move onto being Red Robin and permanently moving to the cave to be with the Young Justice team. Damian is Robin, much to Dick's dismay but that's still not dealing with his behavioral issues. Bruce sees his phone screen light up as a call comes in from James Gordon.

"Hello Commissioner."

"Please it's just Jim, I'm not on duty. I have a favor to ask."

"Anything you need." Bruce is only kind of listening as he watches a video recording of the Red Hood. "I need somewhere for Barbara to stay. I have finally have a lead on a case I've been working on and I have to leave but I can't leave her home alone."

Bruce agrees right away, but he's not doing the favor for the commissioner, he's not even doing it for Barbara, he's doing for himself because he wants to be with Barbara. "She can stay here for as long as she needs to."

"Thank you so much, I will drop her off tomorrow."

"Anytime works, Alfred will be here if I'm at the office."

He hits the pause button on the video he's watching and rewinds it. He hangs up on the commissioner and zooms in and then rewatches the video. He sees a move that only he's pulled off before, well him and Jason Todd. He knows that the Red Hood is his lost Robin, Jason Todd but it's still hard for him to believe that he's truly back. He checks the time on his watch and then heads down to the cave and suits up, taking off into the night.


	11. 11

Barbara wakes up at eleven in the morning. Her dad is sitting at the kitchen table working on his police work. "Dad you didn't have to stay home for me. I can manage."

"I didn't want to leave you on your own Barb. It's going to take some time to adjust."

She winces in pain as she tries to shift her weight into a sitting position. "My side hurts so bad."

Her dad sets his pen down from working on his last report before chasing down a lead later on. He's been following the Red Hood for months now and a source reports him moving to Central City so that's where the commissioner is going. "Barb I have to leave for a few weeks later today. I've made arrangements for you to stay with Mr. Wayne. He's been kind enough to open his house for you until I get back. I think it's better for you to not stay alone, especially now."

"Especially now because I'm paralyzed. Wow thanks for trusting me dad. The first chance you get you ship me off to the Wayne foundation for screwed up kids." She's mean but she's also in a ton of pain and she's mad that he is dropping her off at daycare. "If I could trust you young lady then we wouldn't have this problem. You lied to me. I was told that you were visiting a friend in Central City and you pull shit like sneaking around and drinking. Barbara I can't believe you." He finally yells about the drinking and the fact that she lied. She wipes away a tear and tries to move herself into her chair. She doesn't know how to work the chair and just when she thinks she's got it, it rolls away and she falls off the couch with a thud. Her dad is by her side immediately. "Here let me help,"

She pushes him away in quite a mean way. "I can do it. Just leave me alone." She grabs her chair and manages to get herself into it and then wheels off to her bedroom. She doesn't want to spend a week or however long she has to at the Wayne Mansion. To her dad, Mr. Bruce Wayne is just a kind helpful samaritan who is kind enough to open up his house but in reality, Bruce is doing it to keep an eye on Barbara. He's more protective than her actual father. She stares at the moving screensaver on her laptop and smiles. It's all pictures of her and her friends, back when she had those. A picture of her and Dick circles through and it's the two of them at the Gotham fair and she remembers the day like it was yesterday. Of course it was a mission, from Batman but she had so much with Dick, he's like the brother she never had. Her dad knocks on her bedroom door, surprising her. She wipes the tears away from her face and turns towards him. "Sorry, I didn't mean to snap back there."

He nods and gives her a half hearted smile. "You'll get through this Barb,"

"And I'm going to come out on top. Looking death in the face and laughing. Dad don't worry about me okay? Just go chase down your lead."


	12. 12

Two hours later Alfred meets Barbara and her father outside. "Mr. Wayne is unfortunately busy working at the office today but I'm sure we can manage here without him." Barbara can tell that Alfred is trying to act like he's just met Barbara and she also knows that Bruce is not at Wayne Industries, he's in the cave. She has a bit of trouble getting through the swamp like rug but she manages to get through the entrance hall to the foyer and to the elevator down to the cave. She was right about Bruce being in the cave. He's training with a kid who's wearing a caped Robin outfit. "Keep a low center."

The kid argues back but then ends up on his butt. "If you don't, that's what happens."

Bruce grabs a sweat towel, wiping his hands then his face and then grabs a water. "How long have you been watching?"

He never turned to see her come in but he knows that she's there. "When did you get a kid?"

"Damian Wayne who the hell are you?" The kid is unimpressed to see her and actually mad that she's interrupting his training. Bruce tells Damian to back off and take five and walks over to Barbara. "How are you?"

"Just living the life, you know just what I had planned." She uses a sarcastic sense of humor to really deflect her feelings, and besides he doesn't really care, he never has. "Barb-"

"Master Bruce you have a meeting that has just come up at Wayne Industries. Lucius claims that you need to be there." He nods as Alfred interrupts him. He passes Barbara and leaves her down in the cave alone with Damian as he gets ready to head to his office. "So you're the girlfriend." Damian states without question. "When did we get a kid?"

She hears Dick's signature laugh before she sees him. "So you've met the bloodthirsty son."

"Is he actually related to Bruce?" Dick is so chill about the fourteen year old demon child in the cave. He just nods as he sits sideways in the chair by the batcomputer. "Yeah, kills me. Eighteen years of lectures about using protection and then that thing shows up."

He uses his leg to point at Damian who he addresses as 'that thing' as he tells Barb the backstory of Damian. Damian doesn't stop his workout, Barb most surprised about how talented he is in blade handling. "Bruce didn't teach him that."

"League of assassins raised him. That brings me to the point of his mother, Talia Al Ghul."

Barb stops watching Damian train and looks over at Dick with a look of surprise plastered on her face. "No."

"Yeah, can't imagine how that one went down." Dick jokingly shudders, "I'm not sure I even want to imagine how that one went down." Dick ducks as a league of assassins star flies past his head and makes a home in the batcomputer. He looks over at Damian, "Whoops."

"Nice throw. What if I hadn't ducked?"

"It would've hurt." Damian makes a smart comment back and Dick shoots Barbara a glare when she chuckles. She wheels over to the computer and starts snooping through Bruce's files. "What does he actually do for a living?"

Dick doesn't answer, he knows it's a rhetorical question. He gets up off the chair and answers his now ringing phone. "Hey, yeah bad signal, I'm stuck under a tunnel and it's really bad traffic." Dick looks over at Barbara and smiles as he paces back and forth lying to whoever he's talking to. "Yeah I know I promised that I wouldn't be late again,-" He sighs as he's cut off by whoever is on the other side of the line. "Yes I know that your parents are in town and I promised-" He's cut off again. "Yes Kori, I'm on my way." He finally hangs up and lets out an angry sigh while making faces with Barb who's laughing. "So who's Kori?"

"Girlfriend, I really should get going. Watch the kid, the public doesn't know of the Wayne ward."

With that Dick leaves. Barbara parks herself at the computer, hacking through firewalls and into files trying to catch up on anything that she missed while in the hospital. She feels her eyes drooping and wanting to shut up.


	13. 13

They must've succeeded because she wakes up many hours later. She checks her watch and sees that it's already past midnight. She yawns and stretches her arms out and wheels her way to the elevator. Barbara lets out a sigh as she struggles to get her chair into the elevator out of the batcave. She knows it's late and assumes everyone is in bed. She doesn't look before wheeling out of the elevator into the darkened foyer. She hears Bruce groan as she hits him. "I'm sorry."

"It's fine. I think I can handle it."

She's noticed how he's been a little more distant. Well more than usual. She swears internally as she struggles to get her chair to move. "Barb,"

She stops and looks at him, actually surprised. She expected him to have disappeared by now. "I've been meaning to talk to you."

"In a dark foyer while everyone else is asleep. What's this about?"

"About what's happening between us."

"Oh." She looks down at the ground. She was hoping that he would let it go. He's not like most guys. He's not nervous or fluttering around the topic. He flat out tells her, even when she wishes he wouldn't.

"You got your wish, no more reckless fighting for me."

She wheels off and she hears him call for her. "Barbara, you know that's not what I wanted. I wanted you to be safe, because I care about you. A lot more than I should."

He walks up behind her but she knows he's there. She smiles and then says her biggest downfall. "Then prove it."

He chuckles and she's sure that he's going to walk off to either his study or the cave but she's not expecting his lips to crash onto hers. She tries to shift her weight to the edge of her chair as he wraps his arms around her. Her one hand is running through his hair and the other is pulling on his suit jacket, trying to get herself out of this chair. He reaches over her and sets the brake on her chair and then hoists her up. She holds on to him for dear life, her knuckles white and gripping onto his jacket. "Bruce."

She's always wanted this for as long as she can remember but she's so nervous now. He silences her worries with another kiss as he carries her to the study. She's too scared to let go of him. "Bruce what if-"

"Hey look at me. Don't think about it, just enjoy yourself."

She doesn't have a chance to respond before he's making out with her again. She moans as he slides down her neck, sucking and biting at it. He pulls her shirt off over her head and she instantly tries to cover up. He gently pulls her arms away from her chest. "Barbara you're beautiful."

She's uncharacteristically shy and he notices it. She's laid out on his desk, sliding papers and documents around as she squirms and moans. She wants nothing more than to wrap her legs around his waist but she can't and she knows it. He's gentle around the area where she was shot, the bandages from the hospital still over the bullet hole. After a round of the best sex in her life she's drifting off to sleep. She feels Bruce's strong arms wrap around her naked form and lift her from his desk to the couch in the study. She wraps herself in his suit jacket and snuggles up. He covers her in a blanket and then heads down to the cave.


	14. 14

**Author's Note: Hey, and thinks for reading, (If you've made it this far) I just want to point out a few things, 1) I'm new to the Batman fandom so it's not totally accurate**

 **2) In this story I'm keeping the name Kori because I really like it but I've never seen Teen Titans so she is just a normal person in this story. (Sorry, no Starfire)**

Batman returns to the Batcave at five in the morning and heads upstairs to his room to shower and change into proper work clothes before heading back down to the kitchen. "Ah Master Bruce just in time to watch Master Damian's revenge on the garden." Bruce pours himself a cup of coffee and stands in front of the bay window and watches Damian take on the trees and shrubbery with a samurai blade. "The sai where'd he get it?"

"The sword was your grandfather's sir, he's used it before." Alfred is medically smart but when it comes to blades they all look the same to him. "No the sai, the handheld pitchfork. That's Talon's, I thought I had that locked away."

"Well then you didn't hide it good enough. Do you have any good food in this place? Oh and am I the only one confused by why there is a wheelchair in the foyer with no paralyzed person nearby. It's not like she can just get up and walk away."

Dick walks around talking as he enters. He spent the night at the apartment he shares with his girlfriend Kori and he didn't get much sleep last night. "Barbara's sleeping in the study, she's exhausted she needs the sleep." Bruce hears Dick mutter under his breath. "Wow, I wonder how she got into the study."

Bruce walks past Dick and heads off to the study. He closes the door behind him and sets his coffee on the desk before gently shaking Barbara awake. She groans and stretches out, accidentally slapping him in the face as she stretches. She chuckles as she tries to sit up. He helps her up into a sitting position and smiles. "Hey,"

"I think I'm ready for a round two."

He laughs at her comment as she leans in to kiss him. After he breaks the kiss he tells her he can't. "I have to be into work today so round two will have to wait. Your stuff is in the spare bedroom but I'll have Alfred bring it down here. You can set up camp in the study while you're here." She nods and yawns again. He grabs his coffee and offers it to her. "The case that my dad's casing, this Red Hood guy. You know who he is, don't you? You also know that he's not in Central City."

Bruce completely dodges the questions revolving Red Hood or Jason Todd. "I know that you are behind in your college school work and that you helped yourself to the alcohol cabinet at your house, so try that here and you'll wish that bullet hit you in the head." His tone is serious and the intimate, loving Bruce that she discovered last night is gone. "I won't be home until late tonight, I expect that you'll manage a day here by yourself."

She sarcastically salutes him, "Consider me managed. I also currently have a blanket and a jacket plus no way to move."

"Then enjoy that time." He leaves without another word, leaving her to try to yell to get Alfred or Dick to help her. She figures it'd be better to just wait than to try and get help. Someone knocks and then the door opens. "Hey, Barb, you kinda left this in the middle of the foyer, not that I ran into it or anything."

Dick wheels her chair over to her and smiles when he sees her wearing Bruce's jacket and a blanket. "Looks like Babs got some."

"I can still kick your ass."

He just laughs and leaves her to get herself presentable. After many swear words and a half hour later, she's managed to climb into her chair and redress herself in the clothes she wore yesterday. Bruce didn't make it easy for her last night when he undressed her and was just throwing her clothes. She wheels out of the study and finds Dick still in the kitchen, once again on the phone. He's arguing with someone again but this time it doesn't sound like his girlfriend Kori. She helps herself to the fridge and then wheels up to the table. She sees that Bruce left his laptop on the countertop. She reaches for it, unable to quite reach it. Dick chuckles as he sees her struggle but slides her the laptop. She hacks through his password and then uses his log in to get into Wayne tech security. She pulls up one of the locked projects and of course the locking system is pathetic so she's in in less than two minutes. She gasps and drops the computer when the files open. Dick hangs up with the angry person on the other end of the line when he sees Barbara's reaction. "What's up?"

"Nothing. It's nothing." She picks up the now cracked computer and closes the files. "Babs, come on talk to me."

She shakes her head and wheels off. Dick is right behind her and grabs the laptop from her. "Dick give it back. Dick!"

"Not until you tell me what you found. Or I'll just look for it myself." She grabs for the laptop but he holds it up too high for her. She punches him in the groin and he drops to the ground, groaning in pain. "Babs,"

She grabs the computer and wheels off to the study, locking the door behind her. She opens the file again and tries to wipe the tears away but she can't seem to wipe them away fast enough as she reads the file. She hears Dick knock on the door but she doesn't open it for him. "Babs, come on open up."

"Go away!"


End file.
